FAQs
Can you do a T2 lane instead of a T3 lane so more people can use the lane?
While both a T2 and T3 lane would improve the overall productivity, our assessment shows that a T3 lane would be the most suitable for this stretch of Great South Road.
This is because a T3 lane would allow buses, motorbikes, bikes, and cars with 3 or more people use the lanes during peak hours without significantly impacting bus travel times and reliability. More vehicles would use the lanes if it was a T2 and slow buses down.
As there is no cycle lane in the northbound (towards Ōtāhuhu) direction, a T3 lane also maintains safety for people on bikes as it provides them some space without having to share a lane with the higher volumes of vehicles that a T2 lane would create.
Will buses be delayed because you’re turning a bus lane into a T3 lane?
There will be no impact to bus travel times changing this into a T3 lane. This is because there are only about 7% of vehicles on this corridor which are T3 vehicles. This is a low volume of cars mixed with 4 buses per hour and will not create delays for buses.
In fact, it is expected that bus travel times will actually improve in the northbound direction as the new arrangement will make it easier for buses to get into the start of the T3 lane near Shirley Road.
Will the bus lane change its operating hours when it becomes a T3 lane?
No, the northbound lane will continue to operate from 7am to 9am, Monday to Friday.
How will the T3 lane be enforced?
Permanent special vehicle lane enforcement cameras will be implemented on the side of the road which will be able to determine whether vehicles have three or more people in them. This will be supported by manual enforcement officers, if there are any locations where permanent cameras cannot be installed. The exact details will be finalised in the next stage of design.
Why is there only a cycle lane on one side of the road?
The current lane configuration on Great South Road, including the cycle lane and bus lane, has been in place since at least 2008. The road space is limited and it would not be possible to fit an on-road cycle lane in both directions, along with T3 lanes and lanes for general traffic. Although in an ideal world we would have protected cycle lanes both directions alongside all the other lanes, there is not enough space for this.